"Turn the People" Proves They've Got A Few Tricks Left Up Their Robes' Sleeves Review

by Robert Ottone

I really like Monks of Mellonwah. I was passed their previous album to review and really got into it, calling the title track off Afraid To Die akin to a 007-esque Bond track. I stand by that. That last album was off the chain. Hopefully, Turn The People, their latest, is just as good.

The album starts off a little slower than the raucous excitement found in “Afraid To Die,” with “Ghost Stories” being a beautiful and evocative track, recalling Chris Cornell’s solo efforts. I was also picking up a distinct Coheed & Cambria vibe from the album as a whole, only interpreted through a more relaxed, almost Incubus-style vibe. I love all of this. This is all a win, for me.

“Tear Your Hate Apart” has a slightly darker vibe to it, which isn’t a bad thing. While I wasn’t as in love with the track upon my first listen, I really got into it the more I listened. It grew on me like a fungus, and I think it’ll be that way with other folks, too. I felt like I was, at first, listening to a HIM-inspired interpretation of Monks, but the track really fall in step with the rest of the album, which, as mentioned previously, isn’t the pure fun/adrenaline-inspired effort like Afraid To Die. Turn The People seems like a more mature album, which I like a lot. It shows that Monks aren’t a one-style pony and are able to deliver their stylized brand of music over two somewhat different-sounding albums.

"Monks of Mellonwah" is on sale March 7, 2014 from Gatcombe Music Pty Ltd.

Jan172014

Robert Ottone • Staff Writer

Robert Ottone is a freelance journalist living and working on Long Island. He writes for a variety of publications and websites covering business, politics, lifestyle and film. Check out his blog here.